How to fix Fitbit Ionic that won’t update its firmware

Firmware updates are important because they often come with fixes to most pressing issues owners reported as well as patches to some vulnerabilities that were discovered after the release of the device. Your Fitbit Ionic should be able to receive updates every time they’re rolled out but some owners reported that their trackers could not update to the latest version of Fitbit OS.

I will guide you in troubleshooting your Fitbit Ionic to make it update its firmware. So, continue reading if you’re one of the owners of this tracker and are bugged down by similar issue as this post may be able to help you one way or another.

Before we move on, if you are looking for a solution to a different problem, drop in on our Fitbit Ionic Troubleshooting page for we have already solved some of the most common issues with this device. We may have already published articles that could help you with your problem. Or, if you need further assistance, fill up our questionnaire as we may be able to help you with your concern.

Here’s what you need to do if your Ionic refuses to update…

Reboot both phone and your tracker.

Reset connection between tracker and your phone.

Update Ionic through Fitbit.com Dashboard.

First of all, make sure that your devices are properly paired and connected, then reboot both devices to refresh their memories. Restart your phone first and then follow these steps to reboot your Ionic:

On your watch, open the Settings app > About > Shutdown > confirm the shutdown.

To turn your watch back on, press any button.

After this, try to see if the update goes through. If not, then it’s time to reset the connection between the devices. Unpair your tracker from your phone and then delete the connection in your phone. After which, let the phone scan to discover your Ionic. Pair both and make sure they’re properly connected. On your phone, do this to initiate update through the app:

Verify that the latest version of the Fitbit app is installed on your phone or tablet.

With your charged watch or tracker nearby, open the Fitbit app.

Tap or click the Account icon > your device image.

Tap or click the pink Update button. You’ll only see an option to update your device if an update is available.

Follow the on-screen instructions and keep the device close to your phone, tablet, or computer during the update. Note that updates may take up to an hour to complete. If the update is slow, don’t remove your device from your account as a troubleshooting measure.

If this fails, then try updating your Fitbit Ionic through the Fitbit.com dashboard:

Find and click “Check for device update.”

When prompted, log in to your Fitbit account. Fitbit Connect syncs your watch or tracker and then looks for an update. If an update is found, Fitbit Connect displays a progress bar until the update finishes. If your device has a screen, you’ll also see a progress bar there.

Keep your device close to the computer during the update. When the update is done you’ll see a confirmation message and your device will restart. Note that updates may take up to an hour to complete.

If the update fails to complete, try again.

I hope that this how-to post has helped you one way or another. Please help us spread the word by sharing this post to your friends or people who may also have similar problems. Thanks for reading!

Connect with us

We are always open to your problems, questions and suggestions, so feel free to contact us by filling up this form. This is a free service we offer and we won’t charge you a penny for it. But please note that we receive hundreds of emails every day and it’s impossible for us to respond to every single one of them. But rest assured we read every message we receive. For those whom we’ve helped, please spread the word by sharing our posts to your friends or by simply liking our Facebook and Google+ page or follow us on Twitter.

(i) TheDroidGuy.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

The links and images of the products we review contain links to Amazon.com, TheDroidGuy.com will receive sales commission if you purchase items that we refer on Amazon.com.

(ii) Prices and product availability shown for products we review are for references only. Although we do update our data regularly, the pricing and availability of the products we review are constantly changing, please check on the merchant site for the actual price and availability.

(iii) We are not affiliated with the device manufacturers or phone carriers we mention in any way, all suggestions are based on our own experience and research, you may use our advice at your own discretion.